In the News
July 12, 2001

State budget gives
University small increase
The final figures for Penn State in the Pennsylvania state budget, signed into law on June 22 by Gov. Tom Ridge, are higher than the proposed figures released in February, but still fall short of what the University requested.

Commission marks milestone,
looks to build on progress
This fall, the Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equity marks 10 years as an organization at the University.

College of Communications
reaccredited, praised for
its diversity initiatives
The College of Communications has been reaccredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), receiving a special commendation for its strong diversity efforts.

Executive education goes digital
with global management CD-ROM
Executive education and corporate communications are moving to an exciting new level in the digital world -- complete with state-of-the-art graphics and digitized sound -- through a CD-ROM developed by the Center for Global Business Studies at The Smeal College of Business Administration.

Chemistry program at Erie
gains national approval
Following a rigorous, three-year evaluation process, the chemistry program at Penn State Erie has met the American Chemical Society's (ACS) guidelines for approved schools.

Access programs join
educational equity office
The University's 10 Academic Assistance Programs (AAP) at University Park are getting a new home. Effective July 1, the University's TRIO programs, along with the College Assistance Migrant Program and the Comprehensive Studies Program, left the Office of the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education to become part of the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity.

Firm to locate center
in Innovation Park
SaRonix of Menlo Park, Calif., a manufacturer of frequency and timing control components used in electronic products, will establish a design center in Innovation Park at Penn State later this year.

New Fulbright program offers
opportunity for international research
The 2001-2002 Fulbright New Century Scholars Program (NCS), a high-level, three-year multidisciplinary research program recently launched by the U.S. Department of State and the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), will focus on "Challenges of Health in a Borderless World" in the first year of the program.

University receives $1.25 million
Department of Energy grant
A three-year, $1.25 million grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) has provided funding for researchers at Penn State and collaborators at two other universities to further study biological iron(III) reduction for remediating uranium-contaminated soil and groundwater.

Berks-Lehigh Valley
division head sought
Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley is accepting applications for the position of head of the Science Division.

Hewlett grant enhances
undergraduate general education
Undergraduate students are getting a better understanding of -- and a better appreciation for -- general education under programs developed as part of as two-year grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

4 receive Honorary
Alumni designation
The Penn State Alumni Association recently conferred the distinction of honorary alumni on four individuals.

Programs gain nearly $3 million
from National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is providing $2.95 million in support for Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT), a program on collaborative research in the area of nanoscale science and engineering.

Power Lion roars to ninth place
in FutureTruck Challenge competition
Penn State's Power Lion, a hybrid electric 2000 model Chevrolet Suburban re-engineered by students from the Society of Automotive Engineers at the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, won or placed in several categories in the recent FutureTruck Challenge at the General Motors Proving Ground in Milford, Mich.

Center to provide
airport demographics
Penn State Harrisburg and its Center for Survey Research are playing a pivotal role in the planned growth of Harrisburg International Airport.

9 attain public scholarship
associate grants
Throughout the United States, more undergraduates than ever before are engaged in volunteer community service, but their attitudes toward civic engagement have reached record lows. A growing group of faculty hopes to change student attitudes and stimulate learning by turning to models of "public scholarship."

Action required for SERS participants
to take advantage of changes in code
The Office of Human Resources would like to remind participants in the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) that it is important to act on recent changes to the retirement code.

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